Art Makes You Mad

Everyone knows that some sad and tormented souls have been driven to create art through the years – Van Gough, Lautrec, Bacon et al. But that’s nothing compared to the strange assortment of freaks who work in art shows on children’s television.

Tony Hart was fairly louche and limp-wristed so I’ll leave him alone, but to see Rolf Harris in action, is to see a madman in his element. He did knock out some decent Australian landscapes with a paint brush though. Fair dos.

Mark Speight always seemed fairly normal and trendy – if maybe a little too over-enthusiastic. That was until his girlfriend drowned in a boiling tub of bath water after a cocaine binge. Mark hung himself at a train station in 2008.

And then there was Neil Buchanan of Art Attack! fame – the bloke who made really big pictures out of hay and dog shit and stuff. Even so, Neil always seemed the best of a band bunch to me. That was until today, when I found out that Neil has grown his hair and is now playing in a heavy metal band called Marseille. I’m really not making this up – check out the website for a laugh (Neil is on the left).